Driving On Sand - Mercedes-Benz 2016 GLE Operator's Manual

Clean the wheels, wheel housings and the
X
vehicle underside with a water jet; check for
any foreign objects and damage.
Check whether twigs or other parts of plants
X
have become trapped. These increase the risk
of fire and can damage fuel pipes, brake
hoses or the rubber bellows of the axle joints
and propeller shafts.
After the trip, examine without fail the entire
X
undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes, body-
work structure, steering, chassis and exhaust
system for damage.
After driving for extended periods across
X
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads/linings and axle joints checked
and cleaned.
If you detect strong vibrations after off-road
X
travel, check for foreign objects in the wheels
and drive train and remove them if necessary.
Foreign objects can disturb the balance and
cause vibrations.

Driving on sand

Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
R
with Off-Road Engineering package)
( page 237).
Y
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
R
without Off-Road Engineering package)
( page 237).
Y
Select a higher vehicle level.
R
Avoid high engine speeds.
R
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
R
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate to
the terrain.
Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
R
ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground.
Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if possi-
R
ble. Make sure that:
the tire ruts are not too deep.
-
the sand is sufficiently firm.
-
the ground clearance of the vehicle is suf-
-
ficient.
Tire ruts and gravel roads
!
Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged or
bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the following rules when driving along
ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with loose
gravel:
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
R
with Off-Road Engineering package)
( page 237).
Y
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
R
without Off-Road Engineering package)
( page 237).
Y
Select a higher vehicle level.
R
Avoid high engine speeds.
R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
R
ing wheel paddle shifter.
Drive slowly.
R
Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
R
wheels of one side on the center grassy area,
if possible.
Driving over obstacles
!
Obstacles could damage the floor of the
vehicle or components of the chassis. Ask
passengers for guidance when driving over
large obstacles. The passenger should always
keep a safe distance from the vehicle when
doing so in order to avoid injury as a result of
unexpected vehicle movements. After driving
off-road or over obstacles, check the vehicle
for possible damage, especially to the under-
body and the components of the chassis.
Driving tips
189
Z